Insulator press



W. C. WEBER April 15, 1941.

- INSULATOR PRESS 5 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed March 19, 1958 INVENTOR. fl ma TE/E C. WEB ER Qam A TTORNEYS.

April l5, 1941. w. c. WEBER 2,238,198

INSULATOR PRES S Filed March 19, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. 1494 have C WEB/ a A TTORNEYS.

April 15,1941. w. c. WEBER INSULATOR PRES S Filed March 19, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y -Mmuy, @J Q ATTORNEYS.

A ri115, 1941. wgBER 2,238,198

'INSULAT'OR PRESS Filed March 19, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. 77516 C #55512 M m MM W. 0. WEBER 1315 INSULATOR PRESS Filed March 19, lQfifi 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 2O /m c. life-552a EXMVHIMI I F 1% A ATTORNEYS.

a'tented A 51. 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE 2.238.198 mscmron mess Walter c. Weber, Painted Post, N. Y., assignor to Gaming Glass Works, Corning, N. Y., a comration of New York Application Match 19, 1938, Serial No- 197,001

Claims.

This invention relates to glass Working machinery in which the glass is shaped in whole or in part by pressing, andmore particularly thatgroup of machines adapted to form glass articles having a screw threaded section incorporated in their structure. The embodiment of the invention described in detail in the following specification is particularly adapted to form internally threaded, communication type glass insulators. v

The principal object of the invention is a machine capable of producing a high quality threaded glass article in large numbers rapidly, and with a minimum of defective pieces.

A further object of the invention is a glass press capable of continuous operation in which provision is .made for retaining the pressing plunger in contact with the molded article for sufldcient time to fully set the hot glass, without unduly enlarging the machine or slowing down hearth of a glass tank to receive charges of moi-f ten glass directly therefrom.

These and other objects may be attained with a continuously rotating glass press machine having "plurality of molds positioned at spaced interv is about its periphery and each provided with an individual press head carrying a plurality of pressing plungers. These press heads are preferably raised and lowered by means of operating mechanism positioned beneath the mold table and are provided with mechanism for periodically rotating the plungers to unscrew them from the finished ware and sequentially presenting the various plungers of the press heads for operation with their respective molds. Vertical movement is preferably imparted to the press "heads thru a mechanism which is positive in its displacement of the press head in an upward direction but which will be disconnected from the press head if its descent is opposed by a gre'ate than predetermined force. g

These and other features hereafterto be seen have been incorporated in the machine shown in the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine with but 10 of the usual 20 heads mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine equipped as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of

the press head and mold assembly in charging a position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the press head in pressing position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation thru the press head and mold assembly on line 55 of Fig. 1'

showing the head raised after completing the pressing operation;

, Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic development of the press head operating cam with the various operating stations marked thereon;

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the safety linkage in the press head operating mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic detail showing the relative positions of operating arms and press head rollers during pressing; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic detail of the same parts when the head is being raised.

The machine disclosed in the accompanying drawings may be generally described as a. twenty head, continuously rotating insulator press. This machine is built up around a base casting 2|] which is mounted on casters 2| for movement into and out of position under the feeder forehearth. A shelf of the casting 20 provides a bearing surface and support for a ring gear 22 to which is bolted the main mold table 23. Rotation is imparted to the mold table thru pinion 24 which meshes with the ring-gear 22 and is connected with the motor 25 thru reduction gear trains 26 and 21 and clutch 28. This clutch is manually operable from lever 29, mounted above the machine, by means of fork 30 engaging in groove 3|. Power is supplied from this same motor to operate the feeder mechanism. This feeder drive meshes with gear train 26 and inarm depending from the edge of table 23.

is forced against the mold 3V,

- mold shells 38 and as a bearing sleeve for the press head operating elements. The molds are of the conventional split type consisting of shells 38 carrying mold halves 37 which close about a base plug 39 set in an opening dd in the bed 3d. The mold shells 38 are operated by a yoke 89 whose arms are connected to the shells by links 2. The yoke and links are so proportioned that as the mold is closed a toggle action occurs which looks the mold halves in closed position. The mold is opened by cam 53. mounted on the central column of the stationary frame as shown in Fig. i, whose U shaped track engages roller pulling slide block t against collar ill on red ill which pinned to yoke M at id. The mold is closed by cam d8 likewise mounted on frame 2% against whose outer surface the roller til engages as the table rotates. Movement of the slide under the influence of cam. iii compresses spring 561 and applies closing pressure to the yoke ii. If closure of the mold is prevented by a misplaced insulator or-other foreign body spring will be compressed to a somewhat greater extent but no harm will come to the mechanism as a whole. Under normal conditions the pressure of spring 5d moves the yoke ii sufiiceintly to close the mold halves and to a point slightly beyond that at which the links 32 are normal. to the shell surface. Mold closing cam extends from a point just prior to the charging station to a point beyond that at which en reine molding pressure is removed but thereafter the molds are maintained in closed position solely by the toggle action oi links Q2 and yoke 3 ll.

In the pressing mechanism a head casting is centrally mounted on a sleeve passing thru the sleeve db and carries on either end pressing ring mold Ed supported by bolts 5E5 which have a.

sliding fit in lugs Bil extending outwardly from the press head cover plate ill. termine the pressure, with which the ring mold The pin 58 is attached to the lower end of shaft 69 which passes thru a hushed opening in the head cast ing iii. -A pinion 8@ whose upper surface is 3 formed as a ratchet clutch member ti is mounted for free rotation about the bushing 82 in which shaft 69 is journaled. This gear it is rotated by an intermediate pinion 85 which meshes with it and with a. pinion dd which is keyed to the end of shaft 65 jcurnaled within the main press head operating sleeve 52. A pinion tt splined to the lower end of this shaft is supported in a bracket 67 which is bolted to the end of the frame arm. to maintain the pinion 66 in mesh with ring gear 68 which extends about the baseof the frame Eli and is rigidly attached thereto.. As shown in Fig. 5 the upper face of the pinion fi l is provided with a friction member 5%. A complemental friction disc id is pinned to'the press head cover plate 57 and is pressed against member W by spring ll adjustably confined in boss '52 by plug T". A projecting lug id is provided on either end of the head casting 58 for purposes which will hereafter appear.

Springs 58 de- Near the inner end of the bed plate 3% is atjournaled a shaft it operated by a roller arm il and carrying a positioning arm it. A raised boss '89 extends vertically for a limited distance along the side of the bracket adjacent the press head and is so proportioned as to engage lug i l, which extends from the press head, in the normal operating positions of this member. The outer end 8d of the positioning arm is slightly dished and, with the adjacent sides 8?, is smoothly finished for contact with a roller 82 rotatably mounted on the head of one of the bolts Cams t3 and it properly positioned about the periphery of the frame 26 control the opera.- tion and release of this member as will be more fully explained hereafter.

Vertical movement of the press head is controlled by a ring cam 85 which extends about the base of the main casting. The contours of this cam are shown in development in Fig. 6. Movement is imparted to the press head by a slide bracket one end of which encircles the sleeve while the other carries a roller 8? confined within the cam track. Lifting force is transmitted to the press head thru a thrust bearing lid, mounted on the upper surface of the bracket, and a collar $59 securely pinned to the sleeve 52. Pressing force is transmitted thru an over load relief mechanism which is shown in detail in Fig, 7. As will there be seen, bracket tit is provided on either side with lugs. fill to which are pinned the thrust arms iii. A transverse head 92 encircles the lower end of sleeve 52 and supported thereon by an integral flange $3. This transverse head carries a pair of rollers 9% which bear against the inner surface of the arms 9!. Lugs extend on either side of the arms and maintain the alignment of the head therewith. These thrust arms extend. well beneath the end of the shaft where they are held together by a spring 96. Gppositely iii-turned ends pre vent more than a limited movement of the members toward each other under the influence of this spring. These portions of the inner surfaces of arms all which contact with rollers 95$ are formed into cam surfaces 9'3 and Q5: and pockets Each mold unit'of the machine is provided with its individual charge guiding funnel iii! which may be swung into position above the mold opening as the unit moves beneath the feeder. In Fig, 2 the majority of these funnels have been omitted to simplify the drawings butthe bearings Edi. in which they are pivoted are shown beneath the bed plate 3 The funnel ml is carried on one end of the arm 583 which is attached to one end of a shaft i8 5 passing thru bearings W2, A pinion, not shown, is keyed to this shaft between the bearings which act as guides for the funnel operating rack I65. The raising and lowering of the funnel is controlled by a track cam Hit mounted on the central column of the machine and engaging roller i6? on the end of rack actuating rod it.

While each of the various cams referred to above is fixed as to its contour and extent the position of each cam on the main frame and its position relative to the others may be varied in every case except that of the ring cam 85.

The operation of the machine can best be summarized with reference to the various stations indicated about the machine in Fig. 1 and marked on the development of cam. 85 in Fig. 6.

As will be seen, the funnel is raised and the mold charged in the neighborhood of station A, At

' chine.

is slowly raised while the plunger is'unscrewed station 13 the funnel has been lowered, the press head has been swung into position over the mold and the pressing operation commences. By the time station C is reached the bracket 86 has been lowered to its extreme position where it remains while the mold moves from stations C to D. Between stations D and E, the bracket is raised slightly relieving the extreme pressure on the plunger but maintaining it in position thru ap proximately one fifth of a revolution of the ma- Between stations F and G the bracket is moved off center sufliciently to clear the mold a and permit removal of the finished ware. The press head remains in this positionuntil after larly for the pressing of insulators and similar glass objects having a threaded portion incorporated therein, means are provided for rotating and simultaneously raising the plunger with respect to the mold cavity. Vertical movement is imparted to the entire press head by cam 85 operating thru bracket 86 and sleeve 52. Between stations, F and G the cam track rises slowly at a uniform slope. The initial movement of the bracket bringsthe bearing 88 into contact with collar 89 and thereafter the entire press head assembly moves upwardly at the same rate as the bracket. Since pinion 66 is permanently in mesh with ring gear 68 which extends entirely around the machine, shaft 65 rotates continuously at uniform speed thruout the operation of the machine.

This rotation is imparted to gear'64 and pinions 60 carrying clutch teeth. 6| normally rotates the mold is closed and charged at station A after which it moves into pressing position and the cycle 'of operations commences over again.

Certain features of the operation of the machine which have been mentioned briefly above will be described in more detail. During the mold opening, discharging and charging operations,

the press head is supported in raised position by U collar 89 resting on thrust bearing on bracket to. In this position rollers 94 on cross head 92 arepcsitionedinpocketsl00,thrust arms will being surfaces 98 spreading arms 9| apart; This movement is resisted by spring 96 resulting in the applicatiorr of a pressing force to the cross head 92 and by it to the press head The amount of force applied is determined by the strength pf the spring, the relative distances of the spring and K Asthe bracket 86 This relative plunger 51, and in such a direction as to unscrew it from the pressed ware. This rotation takes place continuously while the press head is in raised position but as it is lowered into the mold during the pressing operation the initial contact of the pin with the charge forces the plunger up againstsleeve l 09 and lifts the upper clutch member 6| out of engagement with pinion 60. When the press head is raised between stations F and G this action is reversed. Initial movementof the press head lifts it with respect to plunger pin 53 and causes the clutch members GI and BI to mesh. The slope of the cam 85 and the relative number of teeth on the various gears and pinions a in the newly pressed article.

cross headfrom the pivot point of the thrust sired. When this pressure is attained further be varied to produce the maximum pressure demovement of the bracketcauses the rollers to.

mount cam surfaces 98 and, if this occurs early in the pressing stroke due to the presence of an old insulator or'other foreign body in the -mold, the rollers 94 will pass the high point H0 formed by the juncture of surfaces 90 and 99 and further movement of the bracket will be unopposed, When the bracket lssubsequently raised the cross head 92 merely rises about sleeve 52 and-no lifting force is applied to thejsleeve until bearing 88 comes in contact with collar". No further pressing force is applied to the press head until the arms, 9! have been manually separated and the rollers 94 permitted to slide below the high point llll. Thusit will be seen that it is impossible for more than a certain predetermined force to be applied to the pressing head and danger'of damage to the machine from an obstructed mold is completely eliminated.

Since the present machine is intended particu- The gear 64, shaft 65 and pinion 66 are likewise relled on to swing the press head to bring the plungers thereon in sequence over the mold. This function is performed by friction plate pinned to the press head cover 51 and pressed by spring ll against the friction disc Ed on gear 64. Since gear 64 is continuously rotating in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, there is a continuous tendency for the press head St to rotate in a counter clockwise direction as the table revolves. This tendency is inhibited in most instances byboss 19 on frame which obstructs the passage of lug 14 on the head casting. These members maintain the head in alignment with the mold between stations B and G. At station H, however a hump in cam 85 lifts the press head sufficiently for the lug to clear the Sincethe press heads are too closely spaced for.

more than one press head to swing at a time when all molds are on the machine no further operatlons take place while the adjacent press head swings. However, further movement of the mold table brings roller arm 11 into contactwith cam 83. As the shaft "it "is swung under the influence of this cam the positioning arm 18 which it carries swings against roller 82 on the adjacent end of the press head forcing the head to swing in a clockwise direction against the influence of friction members liil and 1B. As the head turns the roller 82 moves over the end. of the arm and catches in the dished surface where it remains said press head out of alignment with said mold and in a direction opposite to that induced by the aforesaid rotatable means, said positioning means and said rotatable means cooperating to retain the press head in displaced-position during take out and charging operation.

9. In apparatus for pressing glass, in combination, a continuously rotatable mold table, a press mold mounted thereon, a press head rotatably mounted thereon adjacent said mold, said press head having a plurality of arms adapted to overlie said mold, rotatable means associated with said press head and tending to rotate it with respect to said mold, stop means associated with said press head and adapted to position an arm thereof in alignment with the mold and supplemental positioning means adapted to move said press head out of alignment with said mold and in a direction opposite to that induced by the aforesaid rotatable means, said positioning means comprising 'a cam actuated lever arm adapted to engage a portion of the press head mechanism.

10. In a machine for pressing glass, in combination, a mold, a press head mounted adjacent said mold and adapted to be brought into alignment therewith, a press head operating member, positive means for raising and lowering said member, means operable by said member for positively raising said press head and releasable means connected to said member for transmitting a pressing force to said press head.

11. In a machine for pressing glass, in combination, a rotatable mold table, a mold mounted thereon, a press head pivotally mounted adjacent said mold, said press head mounting comprising a press head operating means, positive means associated with said mounting for rais ing said press head, and releasable means associated with said mounting for lowering said p ess bead and developing pressing forces in said mold.

12. In a machine for pressing glass, in combination, a mold, a press head mounted adjacent said mold and adapted to be brought into alignment therewith, said mounting means comprising a sleeve, a bracket associated with said sleeve and adapted to move longitudinally thereof, a collar on said sleeve limiting the extent of movement of the bracket along said sleeve in one direction and releasable means resisting movement of the bracket in the opposite direction with respect to said sleeve.

13. In a machine for pressing glass, in combinatioma mold, a press head mounted adjacent said mold and adapted to be brought into alignment therewith, said mounting means comprising a sleeve, a bracket associated with said sleeve and adapted to move longitudinally thereof, a collar on said sleeve limiting the extent of movement of the bracket along said sleeve in one direction and releasable means resisting movement of the bracket in the opposite direction, said releasable means comprising a member carried by said sleeve and spring pressed thrust members connected to said bracket.

14. In a machine for pressing glass, in combination, a mold, a press head mounted adjacent said mold and adapted to be brought into alignment therewith, said mounting means comprising a sleeve, a bracket associated with said sleeve and adapted to move longitudinally thereof, a collar on said sleeve limiting the extent of movement of the bracket along said sleeve in one direction and releasable means resisting movement of the bracket in the opposite direction, said releasable means comprising a thrust member carried by said sleeve and thrust arms connected to said bracket, said thrust arms being spring pressed against said thrust member and having inclined projections on their contacting surfaces tending to oppose relative movement between said thrust arms and thrust head.

15. In an apparatus for pressing threaded glass articles in combination, a continuously rotating mold table, a mold mounted thereon, a vertically movable press head mounted on said table adjacent said mold, a threaded plunger mounted on said press head for movement therewith and relative thereto, continuous rotating means mounted on said press head for movement therewith and means controlled by the movement of said plunger relative to said press head for disconnecting said plunger and rotating means as the plunger is forced into the mold and for connecting said parts'after the pressing operation as the press head is raised to withdraw said plunger from said mold.

WALTER C. WEBER. 

